Your little one is growing — and fast! In their first year, your little peanut is going to have several baby growth spurts. And they’ll more than likely let you know all about it.
So what are the signs to watch out for? And how can you take care of yourself while they happen?
Ready to dive in? Here’s everything you need to know about baby growth spurts.
In this article: 📝
- When do babies have growth spurts?
- How do I know when my baby is having a growth spurt?
- How long does a growth spurt last in babies?
When do babies have growth spurts?
Wondering when your peanut will outgrow those adorable outfits?
The short answer is probably quite soon.
In their first year, your baby will have about five major growth spurts. They generally happen at:
- 1 to 3 weeks
- 6 to 8 weeks
- 3 months
- 6 months
- 9 months
Like everything baby-related, these are just approximate timings.
Your baby might be slightly earlier or later than these estimates.
There’s no one way to do this thing.
How do I know when my baby is having a growth spurt?
Basically, they eat more, cry more, and when it’s all over, they’ll weigh more. They also develop some rather interesting sleep habits.
Here’s what to expect:
Do babies eat a lot during growth spurts?
Is your baby ravenous even though they just ate?
Don’t worry. It may just be that they need some extra fuel to get through this spurt.
During growth spurts, your baby might insist on cluster feeding.
Also called bunch feeding, this is when they need to feed a lot in short spurts.
(As a cruel joke, this is usually at night. Phew. Seems like this buffet has to be open 24/7. )
We know it’s exhausting. But you will get through this.
And trust your baby on this one. They’ll tell you how much they need.
Do babies sleep a lot during growth spurts?
Like most things with little ones, it depends. All babies are different.
When your baby is going through a growth spurt, hunger wins over pretty much anything else, including that sleep routine that you thought they were finally getting into.
That means your little peanut may wake up really frequently, and actually sleep less during a growth spurt.
Also, growth spurts often coincide with sleep regressions — phases where your baby graduates to a new sleep cycle.
There’s so much for them to take in about this new world of theirs and all that stimulation can lead to sleep routines going out the window.
On the flip side, sometimes babies sleep more during growth spurts.
Sleep plays an important role in their growth and development and some babies will try to get as much of it as possible.
According to research in the journal SLEEP, growth spurts and sleep bursts can go hand-in-hand.
So the long and short of it is, it really depends.
Babies are going to do this growth spurt thing in their own unique style.
Do babies cry more during growth spurts?
All this growing is exhausting.
And they might not be getting long stretches of sleep in.
If your baby is cranky and seems as if they want to talk to the manager all the time, be comforted — this too will pass.
And finally, they’re going to weigh more.
All that milk or formula must go somewhere, so it’s no surprise that your baby is putting on some extra ounces.
Babies tend to triple their body weight in their first year.
You notice they’re a bit heavier the next time you pick them up from a nap.
How long does a growth spurt last in babies?
We know this time can be hard on mamas.
If you’re checking your watch and asking, how long do baby growth spurts last?, you’re not alone.
Luckily, the answer is: not very long.
For younger babies, growth spurts tend to last only a day or two.
And for older babies, not much longer than a week.
We know — that may seem like forever right now.
Know that you don’t have to do it alone. Reach out to your Peanut community.
There’s a whole lot of growing going on out there and you’re sure to find mamas in the same boat.
Here are our tips for how to deal with baby growth spurts:
Follow their cues
When it comes to feeding, you can let your little one lead.
Yep, there’s no question who the boss of this entire operation is.
They’ll let you know when they’re hungry and when they’re full.
And our bodies are so intelligent — the more we feed, the more milk we produce.
Your body will naturally respond to your little peanut’s needs.
As they get older and the growth spurts subside, those nighttime feeds are going to become less and less frequent.
Stay hydrated
This is always good advice, but it’s especially important now that your baby is feeding all the time.
Be prepared for a lot of soothing
Your little peanut is going to be more needy than usual, so it’s a good time for a lot of cuddles.
Listen to your body
You may be hungrier or more tired than usual, so make sure you’re getting the sustenance you need to keep you and baby nourished.
Soulful nourishment is also important here, too, so try to make some time for much-needed self-care.
Get extra help if you can
If you can get an extra pair of hands to help with house chores (or basically anything that’s not directly mama-related) it can be a real relief.
Try to get some rest
We know, easier said than done for any new mama at any stage — let alone during a growth spurt.
But it really is important to get rest whenever you can.
Snatch naps during the day if you can, especially as your nights may be more interrupted than normal.
We know growth spurts in babies can be a pretty wild time for you and them, but these bumps in the road are perfectly normal.
As long as your baby is gaining weight and soiling their diapers (maybe slightly more than usual, thanks to all that extra food), they’re likely doing just fine.
If your baby is struggling to settle back into a routine, or you’re concerned about anything, chat with your pediatrician.
We know this is not always easy, but you’re doing great, mama.
👶 More baby milestones:
When Do Babies Grow Hair?
When Do Babies Start Talking?
When Do Babies Walk? The Timeline for Toddling
When Do Babies See Color?
When Do Babies Start Smiling?
When Do Babies Sit Up?
When Do Babies Start Teething?
When Do Babies Stop Spitting Up?
What Are the Different Stages of Crawling?
When Do Babies Start Cooing?
When Do Babies Get Kneecaps?
When Do Babies Clap?
When Can Babies Eat Baby Food?
When Do Babies Start Dreaming?
When Do Babies Make Eye Contact?
When Do Babies Start Laughing?